Delicate Betrayal
by I-Write-Mush-And-I-Like-It
Summary: When Harry is attacked in the bathroom and saved by Draco Malfoy, it causes a string of events that no one could have foreseen. Contains: Deaging, Abuse, Slash, AU duh. , RW/HG HP/DM Bad!Dumbles
1. Chapter 1

Delicate Betrayal

Delicate Betrayal

Pre-Epilogue Type Thing

Harry Potter, resident virgin. Draco Malfoy, known ladies (and men) man. Not one person, not even their closest friends, had seen them getting together. Not only were they polar opposites, but also they were big enemies, and had insinuated that they hated each other more then the foulest thing on Earth. So when they had walked into the great Hall one morning, Harry blushing furiously, Draco trying unsuccessfully to seem unaffected that everyone in the hall was staring at them, the gossipy girls quickly put two and two together. There was chaos. Girls moaned about the two hottest guys in school both turning out to be gay, _and_ together, guys glared furiously at them for their blatant disrespect for their gender, but Hermione and Ron were a different story. Hermione was ecstatic, claiming she had known all along, and had been wondering when they would get together, and Ron was shocked, not sure if he should punch the blonde Slytherin, or shake hands with him. He and Hermione had often worried about Harry, knowing he hadn't had a single romantic moment in his life, other then the kiss with Cho Chang the previous year. So everyone in the Hall froze when Ron stood slowly, expecting a fight. In stead he held out a firm hand.

"You so much as _think_ about hurting him, I will kill you. Congratulations." Draco's eyes widened comically, and Hermione and Harry were watching, unable to believe their eyes. Draco cautiously took the offered hand and shook it. And that was the beginning of the oddest, most unexpected friendship to grace Hogwarts.

Chapter One

"You guys go on ahead, I need to use the bathroom. I'll catch up to you in DADA." Harry said, hoisting his backpack into a more comfortable position on his back and brushing the dark hair out of his bright green eyes. Ron and Hermione nodded, and left. Harry half ran to the bathroom only to run into a large body on the way through the door.

"Sorry. Didn't see you there." He said as he stood. He came face to face with a broad chest, donning a Ravenclaw badge. He looked up, suddenly nervous. Any and all thoughts of going to the bathroom fled his mind when he saw the predatorial gleam in the tall man's icy eyes. He shivered when the man slowly raked his eyes over Harry's body.

"Well, well, what have we here? Looks to me like a pretty little lion's lost his way. So very pretty…" Harry backed away from the man, shaking his head. The man ignored Harry's fearful, pleading look, and grabbed him by the collar of his robes. He dragged Harry into the closest stall, and flung him inside. The man eagerly stared at Harry, while pulling his robes off.

"W-what are you going to do to me?" Harry asked, still on the floor. The Ravenclaw didn't answer, instead conjuring a blindfold on Harry's eyes and a gag around his mouth.

"Not a sound from you, whore. You're mine, now, and whatever I choose to do to you is none of your concern. And anyways, I haven't decided. I might have you watch while I jerk off. I might do you right now. Hell, I might just leave you here, have some second year find you or something." Harry started sobbing, only gasping noises escaping the gag. The man gently stroked Harry's face.

"Now, now. No crying, lovely. I don't want to have to fuck some blotchy faced boy. I want this to be something you'll never forget." Then he started undressing Harry; unaware a Slytherin first year had heard everything.

"Draco! Draco, come here!" a first year gasped, clutching his side. With a roll of his eyes, he threw on a sneer and followed the boy.

"What is it, kid?" the boy frowned.

"I was in the bathroom, up on the second floor, and I heard someone talking. He was saying really bad stuff, and someone was crying. I didn't know what some of the words meant, but they sounded bad." Draco frowned.

"What were they saying?" he asked, masking his curiosity.

"The voice said he was going to do someone right now. What does 'do someone' mean?" the boy asked, head cocked. Draco shook his head, and left the common room, leaving the boy to stand-alone.

Draco scowled all the way to the bathroom. If it weren't for the fact that he could take points now, he would have ignored the annoying kid. But big points could be deducted for sex during school hours. So he pushed the bathroom door open, expecting some irresponsible Hufflepuffs, or idiotic Gryffindors. What he didn't expect was a seventh year Ravenclaw jerking off in front of a sobbing Harry Potter, who was currently curled up naked in a ball on the floor. After taking a second to appreciate Harry's perfectly sculpted ass, he pointed his wand at the man who had yet to notice him. The Ravenclaw flew across the room from the power of Draco's Stunner, slamming into the wall with a sickening crunch. He then turned to Harry, who hadn't moved from his position on the floor. Draco kneeled next to him and carefully undid the blindfold and the gag, uncertain how the boy would react. But Harry's eyes were closed, and he didn't seem too intent on opening them anytime soon. Draco took the time to observe the boy. With his black hair, and pale skin, he seemed almost unearthly, and his green eyes that seemed to penetrate one's very soul betrayed his every emotion. Before Draco had always ignored Harry's appearance, but now, being so close, he could see the delicate sprinkling of freckles across his nose, the ever-present dimples that showed no matter what his emotion, the way his full, red lips tilted up at the corners.

"Harry. Harry, open your eyes. You're safe, now." He said. He had no idea where those soothing words came from, but they seemed to work, as Harry was now slowly coming to. Eyes opened slowly and blinked owlishly, taking in his surroundings. They swiveled around the room, before locking with Draco's. Quickly the green eyes fell to the stone tiling.

"Malfoy? What are you doing here?" he asked. His voice was feeble, and his eyes never left the ground. Draco wasn't sure he liked this new Harry. He conjured a blanket and covered Harry's naked body. When Harry realized he was naked, he blushed a burning red.

" You should probably go see Pomfrey. I'll take care of this guy." Draco nodded to the knocked out Ravenclaw by the door. But when he reached out to pull Harry to his feet, the boy jerked away.

"Don't touch me! Please, just…don't." he whispered, closing his eyes. Draco was torn. He didn't know what the Ravenclaw had done to Harry, but if the boy didn't let anyone near him, there would be no way to help him.

"Would you feel better if I put you to sleep first?" The boy opened his eyes and stared at Draco intently, before nodding carefully. Draco raised his wand and cast a light-sleeping spell on the boy. Then he levitated the Ravenclaw man to the doorway. A couple of Hufflepuffs happened to walk by and he told them to take him to the Headmaster. Then he bent and lifted the extremely light body of Harry. Harry's soft black hair was splayed against his chest and his small hands came to rest lightly on his arms. Draco would later deny it to the point of suffocation, but he enjoyed the fact that he had been the one to save Harry, and carried him securely in his arms. When they reached the Hospital wing, he regretfully laid the sleeping boy on one of the beds and called for Pomfrey.

"What is it, mister Malfoy?" she asked, pulling her wand from her pocket. He nodded to the boy on the bed.

"Found him in the second floor bathroom, being assaulted by some seventh year Ravenclaw. The other kid's with Dumbledore now, and I brought him here." The nurse nodded knowingly before sending him to the other side of the bed.

"I'm going to need your help. Now, take this blanket, it's getting in the way of my view." He scowled, before complying. "Good. Now help me roll him over on his back. I need to check his pulse." He ended up lifting and rolling the boy carefully. Harry was still unclothed, and one could plainly see the faded scars and bruises in various states of healing that stood out from his pale skin.

"What are all these from?" he asked, looking to the nurse. Without so much as glancing at them she answered.

"Abusive uncle. Can you get him to take this? It'll help with the shock." He looked down. He hadn't noticed Harry waking up slowly, and beginning to struggle slightly.

"Harry. Harry, you need to take this, it's supposed to help." When Harry showed no signs of responding, he took a chance.

"If you take it, no one will touch you." With lightning fast reflexes the boy snatched the vial of calming drought and downed it. He handed the empty vial back and watched the two of them warily. Pomfrey sat down in the chair farthest away and began to question him.

"Do you know who the Seventh year who attacked you is?" She got no response other then an involuntary flinch. She asked a few more questions about the attack, but got nowhere. She sighed, and decided to change directions.

"Where did the bruises come from this time, Harry?" he glanced at her.

"Fell. My fault." He said hoarsely, avoiding eye contact. Draco snorted unbelievingly.

"You fell? Did you fall down ten flights of stairs? Because that's the only way you could have gotten so many bruises." Pomfrey glared at him, and Harry guiltily ducked his head.

"I- I trip a lot. Clumsy." He mumbled, nervously plucking at a stray thread on the hospital gown Pomfrey had generously allowed him to don.

"You're a Seeker. It's not in you to be clumsy. Why don't you tell the nice nurse what really happened?" Draco said, silently hoping he didn't scare the boy into silence. His pushing was rewarded with a weak glare from Harry before he grudgingly submitted.

" He didn't want me to forget." For Pomfrey, it seemed to be an acceptable answer, and she turned to her work. But for Draco, it only inspired more questions. Who didn't want him to forget? What was it that he was forced to remember? And most of all, why did no one have a clue how their Savior was treated? Poppy continued her work, but froze a few minutes later, her wand producing a long sheet of paper. She read it quickly, eyes widening and gasping.

"Mr. Potter! Would you care to tell me just how far he went this time?" she was so shocked that she forgot to lower her voice, and Harry flinched away from her shrill shriek. But she didn't back down, and Harry grudgingly answered her.

"Aunt left him, last summer. He was so mad… he told me that since I had chased away the one woman who would have him, he was free to take whatever he wanted from me. H-he told me that that was all I'd ever be good for, and when I came back to school, I thought it would change. I thought I was safe here. But now I know I'm not and I don't know what to do! I can't tell anyone, or they'll hate me and think I'm weak." Harry was now sobbing full on, and Draco, no matter how sorry he was for the boy, had to resist the urge to hand him a towel or something.

"But you didn't answer my question, Harry. How far did he go?" Pomfrey asked softly, as if she already knew the answer.

Harry looked up for the first time, white teeth nibbling on his soft lips. His eyes were wide and the pain he'd been forced through shined clearly in them.

"He raped me. Every night for three months." He looked up when Draco all but growled in fury. Then he did something amazing. Harry Potter, known Malfoy hater, turned to him for comfort. His wet face was pressed into Draco's robes, and his small hands had again found their way to his arms. Draco stroked the soft hair.

"It's okay, Harry. You're never going back there again. I'll protect you, no matter what happens." He felt his anger blossom at the sick muggle who had dared to touch someone as pure, as sweet, or as innocent as Harry. If it weren't for the small body currently huddled into his side, he wasn't sure how he would be able to restrain himself from going after the man himself.

"Aren't you going to be in trouble for helping me? You hate me." He felt more then he heard Harry's mumbled question, and shook his head. "There's no way I could hate you, Harry. Even though you _are_ getting tears all over my best school robes." He heard Harry's teary giggle, and smiled. Draco gently and slowly ran the tip of his finger down Harry's cheek. He ignored the thump as Pomfrey promptly fainted.

Author's notes- Well, I think this story will sufficient to keep everyone preoccupied while I fine tune Lovely hatred, don't you? And this is a story I've done before, so there won't be such a long waiting period between posts. And on a completely different note, I just finished reading the incomplete 'midnight sun' draft, and it was so good! I know people are freaking out because she decided to restart, but I think that if they can't wait a little for the next one, they aren't mature enough to read the books! If anyone wants it, just PM me and I'll send it to you.

Edward and Bella Forever!!


	2. Chapter 2

Bright green eyes stared shyly up at him, a soft blush spreading throughout his body

_Bright green eyes stared shyly up at him, a soft blush spreading throughout his body. Soft, almost feminine hands wandered over leanly muscled flesh, exploring and caressing. A sigh escaped perfect red lips._

"_Draco…" _

Draco sat up straight in his bed, silently groaning. The dream he had had was not unusual lately, but it was a real pain to wake up every morning with the same, affliction, that hindered most prepubescent boys.

"Damn it, Potter!" he grumbled, mentally damning the boy to an eternity of sleeplessness. Now that he was completely awake, Draco carefully slipped out of the dormitory, and followed the familiar path to the hospital wing. He eased the door open carefully, and snuck into the room, unsure if he should be there. To the naked eye, the room would appear empty, but Draco had been there when Pomfrey had set the wards, and could clearly see the sleeping teen on the bed. If he had been attractive before, he was now almost otherworldly in his beauty. The moonlight cast silvery highlights in his silky hair, and his sooty eyelashes rested softly on his cheekbones. Each feature seemed to be individually accentuated by the moonlight that bathed him in a soft glow. But while the moonlight added to his beauty, it also made the previously unnoticeable scars stand out with stark clarity. Draco tried to ignore the unnatural rage that swept over him at the thought of someone hurting the sleeping boy enough to scar him so much. But no matter how hard he tried, one thought entered his mind. _How dare they touch what is mine!_ Then he groaned. He was Draco Malfoy, for god's sake! He wasn't supposed to feel like this, like he had to protect Harry from harm. He was the one who caused the harm! But that thought only increased his guilt. How badly had his words wounded Harry, truly? He could recall quite a few times when he had driven the boy to tears with his scathing remarks about his family or friends. He groaned.

"What did you do to me, Harry?" he didn't expect an answer, so he was shocked when a drowsy Harry sat up, causing the blanket that had been covering him to slip, revealing a perfectly formed, smooth chest and a surprisingly arousing belly button.

"An innie, Harry?" he smirked, and was rewarded with a delicate blush that covered Harry's cheeks and spread to his chest. The blushing boy yanked the blanket up, staring at Draco shyly.

"You came." the boy seemed surprised about Draco wanting to see him, and for some reason, that annoyed Draco.

"Since I saved you, I thought it would make sense to make sure you're okay." he tried, he really did, but he just couldn't keep that instinctive sneer out of his voice, although he did manage to make it much lighter then usual. After five years of speaking to him in that tone, it wasn't just going to fade away. However, he didn't expect Harry to jerk away from him at the mention of being saved. He sighed.

"Harry, what did you do to make that Ravenclaw so angry that he would risk expulsion just to…do that?" he asked curiously. It was something that had bothered him since he walked into the bathroom that morning. Harry glared pitifully at him.

"I didn't do anything! I had to go to the bathroom and when I turned the corner I ran into him. H-he called me pretty…" Harry trailed off, shivering at the memory. Draco, however, was stunned. He had figured it had been a simple case of a one-night stand gone wrong. It would be just like his previous vision of Harry to be the love 'em and leave 'em type. But this new Harry, this shy, quiet Harry would never do that.

"Were you a virgin, Harry? I mean, before your uncle?" he asked softly. He knew he would regret asking the second Harry opened his mouth.

"W-why do you c-care? So what if I w-was?" if it weren't for the way Harry had stumbled over the words, Draco wouldn't have said anything more.

"Maybe I want to know just how much those filthy muggles took from you. Maybe I want to know how long you managed to remain so…untouched. Or maybe I'm just curious. Take your pick." Harry seemed uncomfortable with this answer, however, and refused to meet Draco's eyes.

"They took everything from me. _He_ took everything from me. I've only had one friend outside of Hogwarts, and she promised to help me, that she was going to tell her parents about the Dursleys and then I could move in with them, but her parents didn't believe her, and told her not to talk to me anymore. When _he_ found out I had told someone what they were doing to me he got even worse. When I was little Aunt left him for a few months, went on a trip, or something, and at night he would come into my…room, and t-touch me. But then she came back and I got my Hogwarts letter, and everything just stopped, until this summer. I only ate three or four times, and even then it was only stale crusts or rotten fruit. The first time he did…_that_, i-it hurt, _so_ much! Why did he do that to me?" Draco didn't reply, and felt the little bit of his heart his father hadn't frozen break into a thousand little pieces when Harry began to openly sob, his thin shoulders shaking. It was the most he had heard Harry say since the bathroom, and while it had been punctuated with sniffles and sobs, it was reassuring that he wasn't too scared to talk about what had happened to him. He tentatively reached a hand out and placed it on Harry's knee. That was all it took. In a split second he found his arms full of wet, sobbing Harry. He gently stroked the soft black hair, whispering soothing words to the boy. He couldn't help but wonder if any other damage had been caused by the muggles, because Harry seemed very childlike, and Draco had a feeling that Harry wouldn't have responded like this if anyone else that had saved him. He looked down at the now sleeping boy in his arms and unthinkingly pressed a soft kiss to the boy's temple. Then he laid the boy back on the bed and settled himself in the chair closest to Harry's head.

"Don't worry, Harry. I'll keep you safe." He mumbled, head lolling to the side.

"—at's _he_ doing here?! Slimy git's probably the reason Harry's in here in the first place!" the oh so pleasant sound of Ron Weasley's grating voice was what Draco woke to, although he was smart enough to not let that show. Instead he watched through narrowed eyes as Granger scolded the teen.

"Ronald! You need to calm down. Just look at Harry, he obviously needs the sleep, and if Malfoy helps him sleep, I won't hesitate to hang him in your dormitory!" Weasley's indigent huffs could still be heard, although they did lessen in volume. He turned his eyes to Harry, who was curled up facing him, his small hands clutching one of his like a lifeline. Just as Harry began to shift in his sleep he realized a very serious issue. In a half hour classes would begin, and he didn't want to risk a fight with the Gryffindors that might end up scaring Harry. He heard shifting and was not surprised when Harry sat up, but was stunned when, instead of releasing his hand, the boy tightened his grip. Draco gently stroked the inside of Harry's hand, tracing the delicate lines. When Granger reached over to hug the boy, Harry surprised them all by crying out and huddling into Draco's side. Weasley was appalled.

"Harry! That's _Malfoy_ you're sitting on! Mate, I think you need to have your head checked." Granger smacked him soundly on the head, before turning back to Harry.

"Harry, you know I wasn't going to hurt you, right? I would never do that to you." But Harry seemed unbelieving, and Draco decided it was time to get up. Without dislodging Harry, he sat upright in his chair and turned to the Gryffindor currently residing on his lap.

"Harry, they won't hurt you. You know that. Just relax. You're in the hospital wing. You're safe here." He kept eye contact with the boy, and was satisfied when he nodded slowly. Weasley and Granger were speechless. Before they could say anything he explained. It wouldn't do to have his Harry's friends hate him.

"I'm the one who found Harry before that sick seventh year could do anything seriously harmful to him. I guess he decided to trust me because I saved him. And before you do or say anything rash, remember that whatever you say will just hurt yourselves and Harry more then it'll hurt me." _Especially after I kill you for hurting him,_ he added silently. Granger seemed to accept this, but Weasley was a different story.

"Harry, what's wrong with you? Decided to go Dark on us, have you? Knew a Parselmouth like you could only be bad. To think, I let _you_ stay with me over summer hols!" by then Weasley had already reduced Harry to tears, and seemed to be out of words. Then his fist drew back, aiming for Harry's tearstained face. Before it ever made contact Draco had grabbed the offending limb in his own, somewhat larger, fist. Harry was curled up on the bed next to Granger, shivering and crying, and Granger looked like all she wanted to do was rip Weasley's heart out and feed it to him. While her hands were carding through Harry's soft hair she glared at Weasley.

"Ron, how _could_ you? You and I both know what happens to him over summer hols! How could you actually try to hit him? Plus, you know all about his condition, he can't _help _who he bonds with! Just be lucky it's someone who could treat him right, and not some jerk who hits people with serious mental health problems!" at this Draco perked up.

"What condition? What mental problems?" he asked, his hand tightening around Weasley's fist. Granger spoke up.

"Because of the abuse he suffered at the hands of his relatives, Harry's mind only developed to the age of a very childish twelve year old. He can't control his emotions at all, and he has a very short attention span. He is, in all senses of the phrase, like a lost puppy. He scares easily, and dislikes meeting new people. And Dumbledore, _brilliant_ man that he is, cast a spell on Harry so that when he found someone who was capable of protecting him and loving him, they would become bonded. And I'm going to venture a guess and say it's you, judging by the fact that you didn't leave his side all night, and he seems reluctant to be so far away from you right now." Indeed, Harry was impatiently pulling away from Granger's soothing strokes, staring at him the whole while. Reluctantly, she let him go, and he ran straight to Draco, only stopping when he neared Weasley. Draco quickly shoved the redhead away, hating him more then ever for hurting his boy. Harry was shaking badly, and was making small whimpering noises. Draco wasn't sure how to calm him, and looked pleadingly to Granger. The girl very badly mimicked hugging someone, and looked like she was trying to summon the Devil, but Draco got the main gist. He reached out for Harry, and was surprised when he almost flew into his arms. Harry's head only came up to his chest, and while Draco wasn't the tallest male in the school, by any means, he still towered over the small Gryffindor. He mentally drew up all the third and fourth years in Slytherin, and they all were taller then the fragile thing now huddled against his chest.

"Why is he this short? I bet even the second years are taller then him." Harry glared at him.

"Only one!" Granger seemed shocked when she heard Harry's high, clear voice. Then she stared calculatingly at him,

"I need to check something out. I'll be back later, Harry!" then she was gone, dragging an indigent Weasley behind her. Before they had gone through the door, however, Weasley threw a rude hand gesture at the two on the bed, which resulted in Granger _accidentally _slamming the door on his face.

"Oops. Sorry Ron!" she hissed. Something in the look in her eyes told him she was going to be taking the stairs a lot today. Just as the front doors slammed closed Pomfrey's office door flew open.

"Why did you not get me the _moment_ he awoke? Can I heal him without knowing when he's awake to do so? No! Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy will be leaving for now, if you would please release his arm?" In response he tightened his grip, glaring up at the woman.

"No!" he cried, turning from her. Draco sighed, and easily released the hand that was fisted in his robes. The devastated look on Harry's face would crack the most hardened criminal, and Draco was horrified he had put it there.

"Why are you leaving me with the mean witch? Don't you like me any more? I like _you_." Harry's pitiful voice rang out clearly in the room.

"Of course I still like you! But the mean witch needs to make sure you're okay, and I'll only be in the way. I promise I'll stay where you can see me." Harry nodded hesitantly, before turning to face Pomfrey with a somewhat sheepish look on his face. But the nurse was too caught up in her test to notice. After a few minutes of silence, the nurse sighed.

"Well, Mr. Potter, you are still severely undernourished, and will continue to take the nutrient potions I gave you, and then you'll need the usual bruise salve and healing potions, and a special potion that should help us detect any serious damage from the, ah, sexual abuse." At this Harry flinched, thin arms wrapping around himself pitifully. "And I am very sorry, but it seems your condition is worsening. If we don't find some cure for it, you will continue to lose important mental skills. Yesterday you were about the average twelve to thirteen year old, but today it seems to have skipped a few years. Mentally and emotionally, you're either a very advanced nine year old, or a very behind ten year old." At this Harry hung his head in shame and embarrassment. Draco, however, was shocked.

"So, you're saying that every day Harry mentally deages a few years? What happens when he runs out of years?" Pomfrey and Harry shared a look, and shrugged. Not very comforting at all.

Author's notes- Yes, I know the Ron in this chapter completely differs from the Ron in the first chapter, but you have to understand. After five solid years of hatred, there is no way in hell Ron's just going to submit and become Draco's life long BFF. Just look how judgmental he got in the fourth book after Harry's name came out of the goblet! And that wasn't even something Harry could control! But this he can, and naturally, Ron feels very betrayed. And Hermione, while she sides with Draco against Ron, also has her own reservations about him. So it's going to be a fun time!

Random Thought- For any sophomores out there, we ROCK!! At our school we won the spirit stick for this quarter!! Which is freakin' awesome, because we always lose to those damn seniors. Class of 2011, Beeyotch!!


	3. Chapter 3

Draco sat in a secluded corner of the library, surrounded by books about mental conditions, fruitlessly flipping through t

Draco sat in a secluded corner of the library, surrounded by books about mental conditions, fruitlessly flipping through them, knowing they would be of no help. Just as he was standing to replace the useless books, a thin, sea green book fell on his head and fell open.

"'_Helping Your Beloved- a Charmed Book_' Well, it's worth a shot, I suppose." With that he sat again, opening the book to its first page.

_Preface_

_This book is only intended for witches or wizards who have found their One. If you haven't, please return this book and never think of it again, until you find the one person you will love and spend the rest of your life with. If you have, skip to the middle of this book and there you will find the cure, recipe, or spell your significant other requires._

Draco gave a relieved laugh. Granger had said that he and Harry were bonded. That was good as marrying someone. Eager, he flipped the book to the middle, hoping it wasn't some trick book.

_Mental Deaging- What it means for you and your love_

_This is a very rare, serious disease. The victim remains as they were when they developed the curse, as far as looks, but the brain rapidly regresses, until it can no longer take away years, and the brain begins to fail, leaving the victim an empty shell. The only people to ever survive this curse are, remarkably, children, because they are already young, and are able to regain any lost knowledge. Muggles call these children Special Ed, but they don't understand the seriousness of this curse. There is only one cure for people who have the curse and are over the age of thirteen. If someone who truly loves them, and is willing to sacrifice themselves for them deages their bodies, there is a chance the curse will reverse its self in a matter of weeks to months._

Draco sighed, relieved. He could do it, he knew. Grabbing the book and running out of the library, he slowed to a casual walk, when he came across Granger. He waved her over, figuring she should know what he had found. He opened the book to the correct page.

"Look at this, Granger." She frowned.

"You know, if you expect me to help you and Harry by talking to Ron, you might want to call me by my name. We will be seeing a lot of each other, if this works out."

He rolled his eyes, and thrust the book at her. She skimmed it, but her response was definitely not the one he had expected.

"Why are you all excited about a recipe for treacle tart? Unless you want to bribe Ron with some. It's his favorite." Draco gaped at her. Then he remembered the first words in the book. He stifled a smirk and explained what he'd read. Granger's eyes lit up.

"That could work!! Come on, let's do it." They walked to the hospital wing nervously. Draco pulled out his wand, and leveled it at Harry, who was currently asleep.

"_Revoulus Sithi"_ a soft blue glow surrounded Harry, and when it faded, a bundle of robes was in his place. Draco and Granger inched forward, when suddenly, the bundle shifted, revealing a fat little foot. A soft cooing was heard, and the robes were kicked off, exposing a very chubby, very cute Harry, who was currently sucking on his foot. Green eyes turned to Draco, and lit up.

"Dway!!" then before either of the teens could move, Harry was up and toddling toward Draco, arms outstretched. Draco lifted the baby, who immediately curled into him, wrapping tiny hands around the collar of his robes. He turned to Hermione, and gave her a gummy baby smile.

"Mini!! You Mini!" the girl giggled, reaching out to stroke one baby soft cheek.

"Well, you are just the sweetest little thing I've ever seen! Look at those little feet! It's no wonder you're feet are- were- so small!" Just as Draco was handing Harry to Hermione, the doors swung open again. This time they revealed Dumbledore. There was no trademark twinkle in his eyes

"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, Who's child is that?" the teens shared a smirk. They had gone over what they would do on the way to the hospital wing.

"Ours." They said simultaneously. Dumbledore's jaw dropped.

"Well, then. If that is so, I am afraid you will no longer be able to continue your schooling here, unless you plan on putting it up for adoption." They both shook their heads.

"Would you like me to escort you to the gates? And since you do not go here any longer, you do not apply to the summer rule. I am very sorry it had to be this way, but you simply can not care for a child while still attending Hogwarts." The two teens shook their heads, and left the room.

"I'll get mine and Harry's belongings, you make sure no one knows why we're leaving." Hermione said, while shifting the baby. They parted ways, and in a few minutes, they met again by the front hall.

"You ready? Once we go through that door, there's no going back." Draco said. Hermione swallowed, and nodded. They pushed the doors open, walked out, and never looked back.

Author's Note- Okay, very short chapter, I know, but the next one will be long. And, just in case it wasn't clear, Dumbledore's not the good guy in this story. He's never the good guy in my stories, I guess. He's just so manipulative, I hate him! And Ron is Hermione's 'One', they can do magic now, since they left school. There is no Prophecy, no death eaters, and no cheesecake! :bursts into tears. "I want my cheesecake!!:


	4. Chapter 4

A/N- Sorry about the uber long absence. My muse decided to commit suicide, but she's back now! At least, kind of. She's back for real for Glass Slippers, but as you can tell by the length of this chapter, she's still hesitant about Delicate Betrayal. Same for Lovely Hatred. But she's getting there, so just hold tight, 'Kay? Thanks and Enjoy!

Draco and Hermione sat in the very back of the Knight Bus, Wondering why, oh why didn't they use some other form of transportation. Even when the bus wasn't moving, it still swayed ominously; ready to tip over at any second. The fact that magic held it up was of no comfort, for once. Baby Harry, however, seemed thrilled. Every time the bus gave a particularly unpleasant jerk, the baby would giggle loudly, and clap his pudgy hands.

"I don't see _how_ you can enjoy this, Mini Potter. I really and truly don't." Draco said tightly, grasping the bed frame so tightly his knuckles turned white. Hermione laughed, but still kept her own death grip on baby Harry and the bed.

""Really, Malfoy, now that Harry's your mate, I really think you should get used to calling him by his _first_ name." she said, pressing a soft kiss onto said baby's now sleeping head. How a child could go from wide-awake to drop dead tired in a minute was beyond even her amount of brainpower. Stan, the conductor, made his way to their bed.

"Surrey's the next stop, sir, madam, and baby." He said, handing them their bags. They thanked him and he went back to trying to convince Ernie that red meant stop.

"Why are we in Surrey, anyway? There's nothing there." Draco asked, shifting the bags he held.

"When the Dursleys died in that car crash a few months ago, the house had nowhere to go, so it belongs to Harry now. Hopefully we can give him a proper childhood in that house." She said, frowning slightly. Draco was about to respond, but the bus jerked to a halt, and Stan called out, "Privet Drive, Surrey!" they stood and made their way shakily off of the bus. Ernie had stopped the bus right in front of number four, which was a blessing. All the stares were sure to start something. Draco sneered slightly. _This_ was the house his beloved had been forced to grow up in? It was a mess. The garden was overgrown, the picket fence needed a dire repainting… and it was so…_ small_! He shuddered. Two months of this was going to be hell.

Hermione, on the other hand, was very apprehensive. What effects would living in the house he had grown to fear have on baby Harry? She opened the door with a simple 'Alohamora', and slowly entered. And they froze. The house was sickening. All white paint, white carpet, white furniture… even the picture frames were white. Draco ventured deeper, but stopped by the stairs.

"Is this it?" he asked quietly, and she knew he had seen the cupboard. She nodded.

"Eleven years he lived in there. When I was _six_ I couldn't hide in the cupboards anymore. And then they put him back in there after third year, when he blew up his aunt. Have you ever seen a picture of his parents? She asked. Draco shook his head. "They were both so tall. James had to have been at least 6'7". And Lily was 5'11". Harry just barely hits 5'." She whispered. Draco shook his head. He couldn't handle anymore of this talk.

"Let's just put him to bed and get to redecorating." He said. But, Harry, it seemed, hadn't missed out on the gene that tells a baby to wake up whenever a grownup mentions bed, because wide green eyes where staring everywhere. Harry seemed unhappy with the room's décor, because he shut his eyes, stiffened, and opened them. The entire room, and house, as would later be discovered, had been done in reds, greens, and purples, and the furniture was black. Baby Harry clapped his hands, pleased with his work.

"Pretty!" he cooed. Draco and Hermione hadn't the heart to change the colors, since Harry was so proud of his work, and instead got to work making the place inhabitable. I.E., Destroying any and all the furniture that had been used by the Dursleys, conjuring up new furniture, etc. by the time they were done, Harry had been put to bed in the new crib in the living room. Even after the house had been redecorated, they couldn't bear sleeping in the same rooms as the Dursleys had. Hermione took the bed to the left of Harry's crib, while Draco took the one on the right. They had been asleep for about an hour and a half before they were awoken by Harry's cries.

'What the hell did I get myself into?' they both thought.


	5. Chapter 5

AN- these are a series of flashbacks that I felt I have to add in order for you guys to properly see just how Ron and Hermione perceive Harry. Please read them all, as they are crucial to the story.

Tiny First Year

Ron Weasley followed his mother as she led her brood of redheaded children to the platform hurriedly. As always, the twins had gotten in trouble, therefore putting the family behind schedule. He was lost in his own thoughts, watching his brothers go through, when he heard a small cough. He turned to the direction of the sound, and looked down. A little boy, probably a year or two younger then Ginny, was standing there, looking lost and afraid. The little boy had huge green eyes, messy black hair that fell to his tiny shoulders, and looked about to burst into tears.

"Are you lost, kid?" he asked, never one to stand crying. This was apparently the wrong thing to say, however, and Ron watched in dismay as the kid let out a sob, before almost tackling him in a hug. Shocked, Ron hesitantly returned the embrace, feeling oddly protective of the distressed child. His mother had finally noticed what was going on, and bustled over.

"What's wrong, Ron? Who's this?" she asked, more then a little shocked at the sight of her youngest son holding the crying child as if he were its father. Who was this child that had triggered such a response from her son? From the angle the child was clinging to Ron, she couldn't even tell whether the child was male or female. It had long, soft looking black hair, and was absolutely tiny.

"Is the poor dear lost?" she asked. Ron shrugged. The little boy in his arms looked up at him, and blinked.

"I'm Harry. I can't find platform 9 3/4." He whispered, closing his eyes.

"Did you get separated from your parents and your siblings? Is that what's got you so upset?" Molly asked, a light clicking in her brain. Harry frowned.

"No. I don't have any parents or siblings. I'm supposed to go to school, and Hagrid told me to board at 9 ¾, but it's gone, and now I'm here all alone, and I'm sleepy, and I'm lost!" he sobbed, burying his face into Ron's chest again. Molly nodded, and gently took Harry's little hand in her own, not noticing the flinch. Ron did notice, however, and frowned. He didn't want his new friend to be scared of anyone, let alone his mother.

"Well, that's no problem, dearie. You, Ginny, Ron, and me will go together. You just walk through the wall over there and then you're on the platform!" she said with a soft smile, which Harry returned shakily. Since his mother had Harry's hand, Ron took Ginny's, and they all passed through easily. Ron had been on the platform before, but it never ceased to amaze him. Children shouting to each other, parents scolding children, teary goodbyes… the same thing every year. With a huge grin, Ron looked over at his Harry, and laughed at the awed look on his little face.

"Wow! This is so cool!" he cried, grabbing Ron's hand in his joy. Molly and Ginny both waved goodbye, and went to say goodbye to the other Weasley children, leaving Ron and Harry alone. Harry looked up at him, and blushed.

"Sorry I cried all over you. I was just kind of scared. I've never been away from home before. What if no one likes me?' he seemed genuinely worried, and was looking to Ron for reassurance.

"Don't worry about that, Harry. I have no doubt that everyone will like you. I do, and we just met." He said, squeezing Harry's hand with his own. I don't think we've been introduced properly, Harry. I'm Ron Weasley." He said with a grin. Harry returned with a small smile of his own.

"I'm Harry Potter." He said softly, eyes shining. Ron felt his heart tug. This tiny little creature was the Boy-Who-Lived? Impossible! Harry Potter was larger then life, stringer then anyone, tougher then anyone! This Harry was impossibly tiny, clearly unable to defend himself from anyone or anything, and didn't look like he was that magically powerful, either. Ron searched the boy's forehead, and sure enough, that little scar rested underneath soft bangs, slightly to the left on that little forehead. Right there and then Ron knew he would do anything to protect this little boy, no matter what. Then the train whistle blew, and Ron pulled Harry with him onto the train. They found an empty compartment, and sat down, relieved. Ron was still in shock. Harry's feet didn't even touch the floor while sitting. Harry, having exhausted himself from all the action, lay down and fell asleep. Ron amused himself with his rat, when a knock at the door interrupted him. Harry popped up, blinking owlishly.

"Come in!" Ron said. The door opened to reveal a girl. She had long, insanely curly hair, soft brown eyes, and, Ron noticed happily, a sprinkle of freckles across her nose.

"Have either of you seen a toad? Neville's lost his." She said, seemingly exasperated. Ron shook his head, and Harry whispered no. When her eyes ran over Harry, the girl immediately melted. It seemed Harry was no longer just Ron's, anymore.

"Aww! And who's this little one?" she asked, clearly assuming he was a teacher's child, or something. Harry blushed, and looked up at her. The girl gasped. "You have such pretty eyes! Whoa re you?" she asked. Harry seemed nervous about telling her, though, so Ron stepped in.

"I'm Ron Weasley, and this is Harry Potter." The girl perked up at that, but had enough tact to not ask Harry anything.

"I'm Hermione Granger, first year. You?" Again Ron answered for Harry.

"We're both first years as well. Have a seat, won't you?" he asked, gesturing to the one by Harry, knowing no female could resist the chance to sit by someone so cute. She looked torn.

"Well, I promised I'd help Neville search for Trevor… but I'm sure he's already found him." She said, taking her seat as close to Harry as she could without freaking him out. They sat in silence a while longer, with Harry sound asleep again, Ron trying spells out on Scabbers, and Hermione with her nose buried in a book. The silence carried on for a while longer, until Hermione looked up at Ron and nudged him with her foot.

"What's Harry's story?" she asked. "No eleven year old should be that tiny. I thought he was just riding the train up to the school, where his parents would pick him up, or something. Younger kids have snuck onto the train before, you know." Ron shrugged.

"I'm not sure what his history is. It can't be too pleasant, though. When I first met him in front of the portal, he almost tackled me to the ground, and was crying about how he was lost, and scared and stuff, and then when my mom took his hand to show him how to pass through he portal, I saw him flinch. No one's scared of my mom, Hermione. And he's really skinny, too. I swear, I could feel every rib when he was hugging me. As soon as he told me his name, I knew I would protect him forever, no matter what, you know. I've only known him about an hour, and I already feel as if I'd give my life to keep him safe. He's too sweet, and innocent. I don't want that to be taken away." He said, shocking the girl and himself with his mature words. She nodded.

"Harry's special like that. He's like a baby angel. Our baby angel." She said, stroking the hair of said baby angel. Ron knew then and there that they were now a part of something larger, scarier, and more wonderful then anything they had ever experienced.

Weird Weasleys and Puny Potters

Severus Snape was a cold man. He loathed children, hated his colleagues, and tolerated his Slytherins. But above all, he despised every fiber of the being that was Potter. Which Potter, you ask? Take you pick. This year's first years filed into the great hall, he was understandably pissy, and glared much more then anyone had thought possible. He watched unfalteringly as Minerva called name after name, clapping shortly when his House gained a new student, but otherwise uninterested. He rolled his eyes as yet another muggleborn brat was sorted into Gryffindor, this one with bushy hair and oddly sized front teeth. Then he heard it. The name he had spent eleven years cursing. Harry potter. He scowled, and waited for the brat to emerge from the sea of children, tall and cocky as his father had been. He growled when a tall student he assumed to be potter shoved a tiny black haired boy out of his way. The child was smaller then the average ten year old, and was shaking in fear. But the child moved forward, and placed the tatty hat in his head. Severus gaped. _That_ was Potter? The child sitting under the hat was positively _innocent_! There was no other word for it. Not even the newest muggleborns were as frightened as this child was, his little hands gripping the stool tightly. This child looked to be no older then nine, maybe a small ten. Potters as a whole were tall, arrogant, dimwitted, and all around assholes. Was it possible that the child had gotten his better genes from his mother? He was so lost in his thoughts that he barely heard as the tiny Potter was sorted into Gryffindor, much to his displeasure. He hoped the boy hadn't made the same mistake as his mother had, convincing the hat to put him in the 'brave' house, as opposed to the 'sneaky' house. Something told him the boy had, though. He watched, not even disguising his disgust, as the most recent Weasley spawn was sorted into Gryffindor as well. Something about the tall boy was off, though. Sure, he was happy to be in the house of the lions, but he seemed to shrug off all congratulations, instead speaking in a low voice to the tiny Potter child. His whole demeanor screamed protective and loyal, but the children couldn't've been acquainted for more then a few hours, at most. How was it that the child had managed to get a child, a Weasley, no less, to seemingly adore him so quickly? And, by the looks of it, the bushy haired girl hadn't been immune to his charm, either. Then the tiny Potter said something that made the other children laugh, while he sat there looking confused, and Severus knew he was in for a hell of a ride the next seven years.

The First Nightmare

It had been about a month since Harry, Ron, and Hermione had met, and the three were as close as possible. Ron was their fierce protector, always ready to defend Harry when someone made fun of his size, or teased Hermione about her blood status. Hermione was their teacher, simplifying the lessons that the teachers made too difficult to understand for the boys. And Harry was their rock, their home base. Whenever Ron and Hermione had a fight, which was often, Harry could calm them down with a sad look, or a slump of his tiny shoulders. Their fighting hurt Harry, and they had vowed never to cause him pain. He also made the other two laugh. Harry was strangely naïve, and was always asking the oddest questions. He had wandered into the Forbidden Forest one time, because he'd heard Luna Lovegood mention unicorns lived there. Once Ron and Hermione found him, expecting him to be hurt, or dead, they could only gape, as Harry lay asleep, using a pure white unicorn as a pillow. Or when Snape had been grilling Neville over yet another ruined potion, and Harry had shyly informed Snape that Neville had done it all right, and that Snape's instructions on the board where incorrect. Where no one could ever get out of trouble, Harry did so with ease. No one could resist those huge green eyes once they were focused solely on you, seemingly reading your soul. But only Ron and Hermione knew the pain that came with seeing those eyes filled with fear and hurt. Ron and Hermione had sent Harry to bed, while they had been up later then usual, studying for Snape's test, when they heard it. A soft, gasping sob. Hermione looked up, alarmed, to see Harry standing at the foot of the steps, tears in his eyes, blanket in his arms.

"What's wrong, Harry? She asked, standing and pulling the clearly scared boy into her arms. Harry sniffled.

"I had a bad dream. There was a scary guy with red eyes, and he hurt my mum, and then he turned into my uncle, and he kept hurting me, and then he turned into you guys, and you wouldn't stop and I promised I'd be good, and I didn't tell anyone about the cupboard, or anything, I swear!!! But you kept hurting me. Then I woke up. I don't wanna go back to bed." He cried, biting his lip. Ron shared an aghast look with Hermione.

"What if I do a spell so you won't have any bad dreams, Harry? Would that be okay?" she asked, rubbing his back soothingly. Their little friend nodded, and Hermione swirled her wand in front of his eyes. Harry fell asleep instantly, and Hermione laid him out on the couch. Then she looked up at Ron.

"What did he mean, cupboard?" she asked, gritting her teeth. Ron frowned.

"I don't know, but I have pretty clear idea. It _would_ explain his nonexistent height, Mione." He added, shaking his head.

"I don't like where this all is going. I think we should bring him to Pomfrey, have her check him over. I want to know exactly what that uncle of his' part is in all of this. Harry's clearly terrified of him." Hermione nodded. "How strong's that spell of yours? Because I don't want to wait. Let's take him now." Hermione wrapped Harry's blanket around him, and Ron carefully lifted his tiny friend into his arms. Without a second glance, they made their way to the school nurse, needing answers.

The Nurse Scares Me

Harry sat in the stiff white bed, utterly confused.

"Ron? Mione? Where are you guys?" he called, more then a little freaked out. Here he was, all alone, in a strange bed, and he did not like that feeling. He hated being in other people's beds. Brought back too many bad memories. Harry shivered in the cold, damp air, not at all thrilled. He was bloody terrified, really. He spotted a dark, blurry shape in a nearby chair, and, throwing caution to the wind, leapt on it, clinging like no other. Until, that is, he heard the unmistakable drawl that was Severus Snape. Blushing like a tomato, he jumped off of his teacher, fearing his reaction. The sallow man stood, towering over Harry by at least a couple feet, if not more. Harry's blush faded to a ghostly white, and he let out a whimper. He didn't like being alone, but he found being alone with a man as gigantic as Snape? Utterly terrifying. Snape reached out a hand, and Harry panicked. While in his mind he knew the professor wouldn't harm him, his body jerked away, coiled tight and ready to defend his most vital organs, as was necessary. Suddenly the strange room was flooded with light, and a frazzled looking woman had entered the room, wand in hand. When he met her eyes, he saw a flash a pity, and he panicked. Did they know? Had he somehow blabbed his secret? But he calmed himself, for surely if he had blabbed about a life or death situation, he'd remember.

"Severus! That child is in no shape to be near anyone, let alone a… a man." She whisper shouted. Harry jerked back as if he'd been slapped.

"W-What? What do you mean?" he asked, looking up at the two now silent adults. Their looks said it all.

"You know." He stated, face crumpling. They would all hate him now, he was sure. He was disgusting, a freak, and now they would send him back to that place, happy to be rid of him. Pomfrey, as her nametag stated, rushed to wrap her arms around him, but froze when he cried out.

"I don't wanna go back there! Please, don't make me! I'll do anything. I can cook, and clean, and I can garden, and I can run errands, and I know some grown up stuff just please don't send me back!" he sobbed, gasping in sharp bursts of air. Pomfrey and Snape seemed to be in shock.

"What did those muggles do to you, Potter?" Snape asked, glaring furiously. Harry shrugged.

"I had to earn my keep." He said simply. There was a gasp from the doorway, where Ron and Hermione stood. Harry felt his face pale even more, until he passed out.

AAN- that's the end of flashback scene one. I just really needed to add some back-story to this, so… tada! Flashback scene two will involve Draco, and then I'll get back to the actual story! Thanks for reading, and enjoy!


	6. Chapter 6

16/09/2009 14:02:00

AN- this is Flashback Scene two, which just shows some of Draco and Harry's interactions over the years. I have made a _lot_ of changes to the history, as anyone who read the previous chapter can see, and it's important to see how this all ties in to people's reactions to certain events, and interactions with each other. Plus I just love writing flashbacks!! Lol… enjoy, and the next chapter will be part of the actual story!

Sneer Number 45- I Must Hide My Affection From You, Lest It Backfire On Me

Draco Malfoy was perfect. Perfect house, perfect parents, and perfect hair… he had it all. He had enough money, that if he wanted to, he could easily purchase a third of the world's land, without making a dent in his pocket. But this blonde haired, silvery blue-eyed little boy didn't want a third of the world. He only wanted one thing. A friend. A real one, too. Not the dust for brains goons his father had hired. God, how pathetic was that? His father had to _buy_ him friends! Had Draco not been raised the perfect gentleman, he would have screamed with embarrassment. But he was eleven now, and going away to school. He could make his _own_ friends, without his father purchasing them. Draco swore he would. This promise is what brings us here today, in Diagon Alley; madam Malkins robe shop, to be exact. Draco was being fitted for his yearly custom ordered robes, when the bell on the door tinkled cheerfully, and someone walked in. Draco turned, and had to fight to keep his jaw from dropping. Standing nervously in the doorway, was the prettiest little girl Draco had ever seen. She had long, curly black hair, huge green eyes, and skin so white, and looked so soft, Draco had to restrain himself from reaching out to her. She was tiny, too. Had they been standing closer, she would only reach to Draco's chin, roughly. She was alone, and she looked terrified.

"Hello, there. Are you lost?" he asked, mentally cringing. He hadn't meant it to, but that question had sounded just like those cheesy guys his mother adored from her romance books. Not that Draco ever read them, nope. The girl nodded.

"Is this where you buy robes?" she asked, looking around. Draco blinked. His brand new wife to be was a boy? A pretty boy, yes. Very pretty, actually. This confused Draco. How could he want nothing more to do then give the little girl (boy!) a hug, and keep her (him!) safe? So, Draco responded the only way he knew how to. He insulted her (him!)

"What do you think? Can you not _see_ the rows and rows of robes surrounding you? Daft little mudblood, can't even see right." He hissed. The boy in front of him jerked back as if he'd been slapped, before turning and exiting the shop. As he turned, Draco saw something glitter on the boy's cheek. Tears. Draco sighed. It was the boy's own fault, really. No boy had the right to be that cute, and not expect to be insulted. It wasn't Draco's fault at all. At least, not _all_ his fault.

Sneer Number 16- I'm So Shocked I Have No Choice But To Insult All In The Vicinity

September 1st came quickly, and Draco had finally gotten all thoughts of the little boy from the Alley out of his mind. For the most part. But a mere emotion like guilt wasn't enough o sway Draco's excitement. He was going to Hogwarts! He'd finally have real friends, and be able to smile and laugh and just be happy, without fearing his father's wrath. His parents' chauffeur dropped him off by the platform, and Draco eagerly passed through the portal, ignoring the painfully loud family of redheads nearby. His jaw dropped. Nothing in his life had ever seemed so perfectly wonderful. Children of all ages ran around hectically, saying last minute goodbyes, and triple checking luggage. A huge, fire red train sat amidst all the ruckus, and children were hanging out of the windows and doorways, calling to friends. Draco loaded his trunk and owl cage onto the train, so awed that he couldn't even complain about the lifting. Much. He quickly found an empty compartment, and vowed to make friends with the first person to sit with him, no matter what they're age, blood status, or house. The door slid open, and Draco perked up with butterflies in his stomach. A girl with a childishly round face, and shrewd green blue eyes entered, and sat across from him.

"It's okay if I sit here, isn't it? It's just that my sister's already got a seat, and won't let me sit with her and her friends. I'm Pansy, by the way. Pansy Parkinson." She said, flashing him a crooked smile. Draco smiled back. A Parkinson was a good first friend. Her parents were associates of his father's, so he wouldn't have to defend his friendship with her.

"I'm Draco. So pansy, I assume you're a first year, like me?" he asked. She nodded.

"Yup! Hey, did you hear? Harry Potter's supposed to be coming this year! I wonder what he looks like… my mum was friends with Mrs. Potter, you know. Said Harry has green eyes, just like his mum. I wonder what he looks like. I \'ll bet he's tall. And strong. And has a great smile. What do you think, Draco?" she asked, shaking the gooey look from her eyes. Draco gagged mentally. Why were girls _so_ obsessive about hero boys? All that muscle, and stuff… gross. Draco preferred his crushes to be cute. Dainty, so he could play the hero, and save her from some awful bad guy, and then she'd fall in love with him and… Draco blushed. He was _never_ reading his mother's book again. Ever.

"I don't know. Why don't we go see if we can find him?" she nodded, her eyes slowly growing gooeier and gooeier.

A few compartments later, they found him. A shortish girl with curly hair and soft brown eyes opened the door.

"Are you looking for a seat, too? Come on in." she held the door open for them, and the entered. A redhead sat by the window, scowling at a rat that appeared to have yellow whiskers. And in the seat across from him was a boy. Upon noticing him, Draco groaned mentally. It was the pretty boy from Diagon Alley. Luckily the boy was sound asleep, so Draco was saved from an awkward conversation with him.

"I'm Draco Malfoy, And this is Pansy Parkinson. You are?" he asked. The girl looked up from her book.

"I'm Hermione Granger. This little guy," she nods to the sleeping boy, "is Harry. He had a bit of a fright earlier, so he's sleeping it off. I'm sure he'll be up in no time, though." She said with a smile. Pansy sat bythe girl, and the two eagerly started up a conversation. Draco turned to the redhead.

"I'm Ron Weasley. You play chess?" Draco nodded, and that was how Pansy's older sister found the five.

The door was slammed open.

"pansy, dear, _why_ are you and mini Malfoy associating with the garbage? I'm sure you remember mother's warning this morning?" she said in a falsely sweet voice. Pansy paled.

"I- I just wanted to—" she was interrupted by a yawn. Harry was awake. He blinked owlishly, and then turned to face the newcomers.

"hi. Who're you?" he asked, smiling. Pansy's older sister looked torn. She clearly wanted to tell the group to stop talking to each other, as if they were _equals_, but she couldn't seem to resist that face.

"hello, sweetie. My name is Gardenia. Who are you?" she asked, this time in a truly sweet voice.

"I'm Harry. Wanna sit?" he asked, green eyes pleading with her. She hesitated a moment, then took a seat by her sister. The activities resumed, with Gardenia happily teaching Harry all about the Houses. They should have known that such peace, and joy was only temporary.

Sneer Number 76- I Hate You For Something Out of Your Control, And I Feel Bad About It. Sorry.

It was a week after the sorting, and Draco was still in shock. How could all of his new friends, omitting Pansy, be Gryffindors? Harry, Hermione, and Ron had all left him for the house of the brave. Granted, Draco had avoided all conversation with Harry like the plague, but still… he wanted his trio back. Ron had taken Draco's Slytherin-ness to heart, and refused to say a single nice word to the blonde, and Draco happily retorted. He hadn't liked Ron anyways. Much. Hermione was cautious, but she still tried to speak to him, until the constant name-calling had finally deterred her from offered the olive branch any more. And Harry… Harry just ignored Draco. Draco could shoot Harry with his foulest insults, ranging from insulting his friends to his mother, and not get a single reaction from the boy. Other then the silent tears, that no one but Draco seemed to see. He hated it, making the boy so upset, but he craved the brunette's attention. He _needed_ it. Pansy had once compared Draco's constant hackling to kindergarten boys pulling girls' pig tails. That had gotten her the silent treatment for two days, the whole time during which, she cheerfully rambled to him about painfully boring subjects. Draco gradually grew more and more bitter about his confusing feelings for the boy, until he hardly felt the twinge in his heart when he hissed insult after insult to the boy, and continually ruined his perfect potions, and he reveled in the rare glare he got In return. Any response was a good one when it came to Harry. Eventually, though, the teasing became more about hurting the boy as much as possible, the it was getting a reaction from him. He soon forgot all about his like for the boy, and went on without a care.


	7. Chapter 7

Week Three-

It had been about three weeks since the trio had moved into the old Dursley home, and things were… hectic, to say the least. Every Wednesday Harry was given his Aging Potion, which he had decided he did not enjoy in the least, and was confined to bed rest for the whole day, as his whole body was shifting and growing. He was now five years old, and very, _very_ mischievous. Wands could not be left sitting out, lest a certain little boy use them as drumsticks, or use them to poke at squishy bugs. The first time he'd realized that if he poked a slug a certain way it would grow bigger and bigger, Hermione had accidentally stepped on it in her struggle to retrieve the wands. Harry had wailed about her 'busting' the slug for hours, until he finally forgot about it. It was an… interesting time.

Week Nine-

"But Mione, I don't _wanna_ read anymore books! In first year we only had to read seven, but you're making me read _twelve!_ And how come Draco left?" Harry's voice carried throughout the colorful house. The curly haired teen sighed.

"I already told you, Harry, Draco had to go and help out Professor Snape for a couple months, in America. Now, read the rest of chapter ten, then you can go play." Harry heaved a troubled sigh, but complied. Hermione exhaled in relief. Harry had been asking about Draco more and more lately, and it wasn't a good thing. The two older teens had decided early on that once Harry hit 'school age', Draco would go away until he was fully aged, so the boy wasn't confused about their relationship. At one time it had seemed like the logical thing to do, but now… It had become clear that the emotional damage done by the Dursleys had not gone away, Harry's fear of abandonment, most prominently. Going to the store without him? Not happening. Going to work? No luck. Even leaving the room made the boy uneasy, often leading to minor panic attacks. So when they had told Harry their story, she had been worried by how easily he took it. Draco saw it as progress, but Hermione didn't see it that way.

"Harry, dear, I'm going to be working outside for a little while. You gonna come read outside, or do you think we can do the kitchen table today?" it was silent for a few seconds, then she heard a meek, "Table." Se smiled. They'd only tried the table a few times, but as long as she stayed in his line of vision, he was okay. She heard his feet patter against the hardwood floors as he skidded into the kitchen, book in hand. Hermione frowned internally. The one drawback of the Aging potion was that it restored you to exactly how you were at that age, so no matter how much they fed him, Harry stayed the tiny, frail thing he was. She helped him into the special rolling chair she'd bought for him, and went about her work.

Week Ten-

"I wanna be grown up _now !!" _Hermione sighed. It was another one of those days, it seemed.

"I wanna be grown up, and I wanna be able to do magic, and I wanna see Draco, and I don't wanna be a baby anymore!!!" Harry sure could scream, when he wanted to.

"Harry, you will be grown up, in four more weeks. Just four more doses, and you'll be all better, and you can see Draco again, okay?" Had she not been facing the stove, making dinner, she would have seen the look in Harry's not-so-innocent eyes, and known right then what the boy was planning. Harry stood up from the table, oh so casually, and left the room, mumbling about washing up for dinner. Hermione nodded absentmindedly. But Harry didn't go to the bathroom. He instead went into Hermione's room, which was off limits.

"now, where does she hide them?" he whispered, opening boxes, and drawers. Then he spotted a small jewelry box, hidden behind a stack of books. He opened it, and there they were, four little vials, lined up neatly. Without thinking about it, he opened them all, and downed the yellow liquid like a shot. If only he had taken the time to read the little slip of paper under the vials, warning of overdosing. If only.


	8. Chapter 8

AN- so sorry for the long absence! The last chapter was just so short, and so forced, though; I didn't want to risk it happening again unless I had a concrete idea as to what I wanted the chapter to be. And now I do! I can't tell you when the next chapter will be, but hopefully my muse will stick around long enough for a few more chapters to satisfy you with. Enjoy chapter 8 of Delicate Betrayal!

In this chapter- Ron muses over his actions in the Hospital Wing, Draco returns to Hermione and Harry, and a special appearance by Voldemort! Yay!

Chapter 8- What Are We Waiting For?

Ron Weasley sat despondently on his bed in the dorm, staring at the space where his once best friend's bed had sat for 5 years. After the second moth of Harry missing, though, the bed was removed from the dorm, his name was taken off class rosters, and Dumbledore had ordered a cease and desist on any and all search missions. In Ron's hand sat a paper, a letter from home, informing the red head that one of his only reasons for living was officially declared dead. The sweet, shy little boy from the platform all those years ago was dead. The Wizarding World was in chaos, but not even the realization that Voldemort could just waltz through the front gates, were the rumors, papers, and news broadcasts correct, now that Harry was gone could make him even begin to care. How could he? If he stopped worrying about the boy, there would be no one worrying. Not even a week after Dumbledore had first made the announcement, and people were back to laughing in the halls, making jokes, and even making the same stupid speculations people make when a celebrity dies. Dumbledore was by far the worst of them all, though. This man, this so-called Leader of the Light, was the one who dragged Harry into all of this in the first place, but as soon as he made that announcement, he went to work grooming poor Neville to be back up Chosen One, which was clearly beginning to get to the other boy. Neville had lost more weight then healthy, due to stress and 24/7 dueling and spell work. Along with the news of Harry's official death, was a note from his mother, telling him to keep the Chosen One safe. Ron snarled in outrage when he read this. Harry had sent he woman as his own mother, yet she too threw him away the moment he became less then useful?

_So did you. The moment you saw him cuddled into Malfoy's side, you abandoned him. _Ron paled. He hated it when the voice came. When the voice came, he always ended up doing bad things. _Maybe if you had held onto your emotions, sweet, delicate little Harry would still be here, alive and well. You know it's your fault. He was probably outside when he was killed, clearly distressed by your brash words and actions. Trying to punch him in the face, Ronald? Really. Poor little Harry was just so upset, probably couldn't see very well, what with his eyes all teary and whatnot. Who knows where he even wandered. Maybe the Forbidden Forest? Or maybe he fell into the lake. You know he can't swim. Do you know how long it takes someone to drown in the Great Lake? With that nifty little spell the Headmaster cast on it (wanted to prevent _this_ from happening, I'd assume) it would have taken hours. __**Guilt! Stop tormenting the boy. You know as well as I do that he had no control over what happened to young Harry. He doesn't even **_**know **_**what happened to him.**_ Ron frowned. Of course he knew what happened to Harry. It was all in the letter. _**The letter is wrong, Ronald. Harry is neither dead, nor in the company of Tom Riddle. He is safe, for the moment, with your other friend, Hermione, and the Malfoy boy. We must tell you this quickly, lest others become aware of our presence, so do not interrupt. Harry is alive, in Muggle Surrey. He was deaged in a rather ingenious plan by mister Malfoy and Hermione, and resides in his old home on Privet Drive. However, he will soon be imbibing four doses of Aging Potion soon, and Hermione will need potions, which you are going to bring with you when you leave in an hour. Once Harry has returned o normal, the four of you will have a conversation, and figure out what to do next. You are going to suggest that you all go see Tom Riddle. He will be able to answer all the questions Dumbledore brushed aside. Be careful what you say in front of him though. Though he may not be what he seems, he has a temper to rival yours. Under the third floorboard where Harry's bed used to lie there is a locket. In ten minutes it will go off. It would be in your best interests to be connected to it when it does.**_ Ron had a feeling that those voices were going to be the death of him. Save Harry, talk civilly to Hermione, Harry AND Malfoy, and convince them to go and talk to the man they all had major reasons to hate? Yeah, that'll go over well. With a sigh, he went to the bathroom to grab the anti overdose potion that was now mandatory in all dorms after Fred and George's last party. And pulled the third floorboard up with relative ease. He grabbed hold of the glowing necklace, just before it went off. He really hoped he lived to see this through.

Draco Malfoy was a calm man. He did not fuss when fussing was justified, he did not cry when crying was expected. He was a mask of stone, hiding emotions and reaction from the world. But when he got a phone call at 7 o'clock from Hermione, frantically ordering him to come back to Surrey, mask be damned, he was worried. Nothing could garner a reaction like that out of Hermione unless it had to do with Harry. And with Harry, if it garnered that reaction, it was nothing good, or even simple. Within minutes of getting the frantic phone call, he was on board a jet, speeding towards his deaged love, hoping he wasn't too late.

Tom Riddle saw himself a reasonable man. Strict, and with radical ideas, sure, but reasonable. But for some reason, all his thoughts revolved around one Harry Potter for a good part of the year. He honestly didn't know why. He felt no ill will towards the child, and was on the contrary trying to figure out how to get the boy to his side. Honestly, it shouldn't be so hard. He had taken the boy from his popularity-seeking parents, and placed him in a loving home with his father's sister and her husband and son. The boy should be grateful, in fact. But this latest Daily Prophet was worrisome. It said that his aunt and uncle and cousin abused Harry! The very people who sent regular letters, professing Harry's good deeds, and awards were abusing him? Something did not add up. He beckoned his servant over, and pressed a finger to the smaller, less noticeable mark on the man's right palm. Within seconds he was in front of the Ames' house. The small family was outside, the boy, Aidan, was throwing a ball of some sort to his father, Dan, while the mother, Hannah, was tending to her garden. Aidan was a tall, even for a seventeen year old, with a mop of curly blonde hair, and dark blue eyes. If the steadily growing swarm of females by the Ames' front gate was any indication, the boy was a hunk. A hunky beast man, according to one girl, who looked far too young to be staring at a boy with that much hunger. Dan had blonde hair and gray eyes that glittered with mirth. He had clearly heard the girl's hunky beast man comment. He was tall, too, and his face was littered with smile lines and the small crow's feet that came with a life of much laughter. Hannah, though, was proof enough that Harry was a Potter. While the boy did have the unruly hair of his father, he more closely resembled this woman, with dark ringlets that framed an Elvin face, and huge green eyes. Where Lily Potter's eyes were more of a hazel then an actual green, both Harry and this woman had clear emerald green eyes that sparkled with happiness. And both were absolutely tiny. The woman, though in her mid-thirties, early forties, couldn't be any taller then 5'2, and that was pushing it. All in all, they in no way resembled a family capable of harming a child like Harry. He was just going to call them over, when a soft 'pop' and a loud thump indicated a port key. He spun around on his heel, ready to stun whoever had appeared, when he heard three more thumps, and one really loud fuck. Before him, heaped in a pile, were Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, and Ron Weasley.

"Ron, what the hell! Why are you here? Why are _we_ here? And where are we? Well? Answer me!" the girl was, clearly, pissed off. Her long brown hair was tied back in a messy bun, and her brown eyes were fairly glinting with rage. The redhead, Ron, was groaning, shoving the pale body of Draco Malfoy off of his legs, and all the while keeping a tight hold on the much smaller form of Harry Potter.

"I'm here because Dumbledore is ruining the school, and the Wizarding World. I don't know why you're here, or where we are. I'm also wondering why Voldemort is here. Call me crazy." The redhead bit back with surprising wit. Potter sat up with a moan, a hand at his head.

"Where are we, Mione? This doesn't look like Privet Drive." The boy realized he was sitting on someone, and gasped, trying to get off of him or her. In doing so, he kicked Draco in the head, effectively waking the blonde teen.

"Oh bloody hell! What was that for?" Harry pulled the tall teen up, and did the same for Weasley, before blushing.

"Sorry, Dray. I didn't see you." Weasley sighed.

"Am I the only one who's noticed that we are all standing in front of Voldemort, chitchatting?" Harry rolled his eyes.

"We know he's not a bad guy, Ron. Dumbledore is. I haven't had a nightmare or vision since we left Hogwarts. So calm down." The redhead nodded, and the four turned as one to face Tom.

"Did you bring us here?" asked Harry, head cocked to the left. Tom shook his head no.

"I came to see your family, and you were not here. Now you are. Are these not the relatives I sent you to?" By now the Ames' had noticed the commotion, and were walking over to where the four teens had appeared, concerned.

"Are you four alright?" Hannah asked, wiping her soil covered hands on her jeans carelessly. Her eyes roamed critically over the four, searching for any signs of injury. When her eyes met the matching green of Harry, she gasped. She had only seen a picture, once of her younger brother's son, but those were Potter eyes. This was her nephew, she was sure of it. Behind her, Aidan and Dan took in the odd sight, the taller teens standing subtly in front of the smaller, yet more magically powerful of the four.

"Double date gone wrong?" Aidan asked, guessing the blonde's arm around the little brunette was no accident. The blonde was apparently the possessive type, because no sooner had Aidan's eyes taken a proper look at the boy that looked eerily similar to his mother he had pushed the brunette more directly behind him, growling. The brunette girl smiled, a little uneasy.

'You don't want to be looked too closely at Harry. He's Draco's submissive Soul mate, and they have yet to complete the bond." Aidan nodded, understanding. If anyone so much as blinked wrong at his mother, his father was liable to pitch a fit. He told the group so, earning a giggle from the two brunette teens, glares from the redhead and the blonde, and a smack to the back of his head from his father. His mother seemed o be in a daze. The tall man noticed this too, and suggested they move their conversation to the house. The others agreed. Aidan huffed when both the blonde and the redhead made sure their brunettes were not visible to him.

"For the last time, I am not going to steal your mates from you! Geez!" As expected, he got no response other then more glares. At least the brunettes found him amusing. He really ought to find out their names though. Calling them the brunettes seemed a little degrading, somehow.

AN- TaDa!!! Chapter 8 is over and done with. Chapter nine will hopefully come soon, but you all know how I am.


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